By Wasseem Emam
FAI and Ethical Seafood Research (ESR) have announced a new partnership to launch the Tilapia Welfare Project in Egypt.
Egypt is the top tilapia producer in Africa so this collaboration marks a significant milestone in addressing a previously overlooked aspect of animal welfare within the country’s aquaculture sector.
“Research carried out last year revealed tilapia welfare is completely unheard of in Egypt and it’s important this changes,” explains Wasseem Emam, founder, director and lead researcher at Ethical Seafood Research (ESR). “We need to bring Egypt in line with other leading fish-producing countries and adhere to international standards if we are to secure new markets for Egyptian seafood.”
ESR and FAI are doing this through the Tilapia Welfare Project, aiming to give farmers the tools and knowledge needed to assess and improve tilapia welfare and enhance fish performance. It has already made significant strides in mapping production practices and identifying areas for improvement.
Mr Emam continues: “ESR has always viewed farmed fish welfare as a crucial issue. It’s also a no-brainer as it benefits both the fish and the farmers by reducing disease outbreaks, mortality and the use of veterinary medicines.”
The new partnership with FAI sees ESR integrating FAI’s Tilapia Welfare App into the project, providing farmers with a user-friendly platform to assess and manage the welfare of fish effectively.
They are also delivering a series of workshops and online training to those working with the nation’s fish farmers, to spread the project’s impact far and wide across this important national sector. With the right support, project leaders believe Egypt has the potential to become a hub for training fish farmers across Africa.
“We’re excited about the evolution of the project over the coming years. We expect to benefit from FAI’s expertise in this area and considerable knowledge from carrying out similar work in other countries,” remarked Mr Emam. “We currently have two members of the FAI team in Egypt. They are undertaking farm visits to share findings of fish welfare research and provide practical advice to Egyptian farmers and aquaculture professionals.”
FAI’s CEO, Øistein Thorsen, echoed this sentiment, expressing enthusiasm for the new collaboration with ESR: “To achieve the goals of FAI’s global Tilapia Welfare Project, we need to be working in countries where tilapia is being produced at scale. We’re thrilled to be launching the project in Egypt, together with ESR. Together we will be driving improvements across major areas of the tilapia production cycle that can yield benefits to farmer profits and fish wellbeing in Egypt.”
Photo Banner Credit: Bjørn Christian Tørrissen, a writer/photographer from Norway
About Ethical Seafood Research (ESR):
Ethical Seafood Research (ESR) is dedicated to promoting ethical practices within the seafood industry. Through research, education, and advocacy, ESR works to improve the welfare of aquatic animals and support sustainable aquaculture practices worldwide.
About FAI:
FAI is a global leader in aquaculture welfare research and development, committed to advancing sustainable and responsible aquaculture practices. With a focus on innovation and collaboration, FAI works with industry partners to drive positive change across the aquaculture sector.